Me, DW, author of trip report and big Disney fan
DH, just as a big a Disney fan as me!
May 1-10
Port Orleans Riverside
Day 4 Friday, May 4
Up early again and had a quick breakfast at the Port Orleans Food Court. I had a Lemon Poppyseed Muffin and DH had what else, Raisin Bran.
Today was Animal Kingdom Day. On our way into the park we let the photographer take our picture. He picked right up on our homemade 25th wedding anniversary badges and matching tee shirts. He seemed skilled and took the time to have had us pose three different ways. We ended up buying one of the photos. It was about $12.95 which seemed like a good deal to us and a nice memento of our trip.
Did the Kilimanjaro Safari which we really enjoy. We saw a Cheetah walking by in the distance, which we hadnt seen before on other trips. Unfortunately, nothing else extraordinary. When we came to the Baobob trees, our driver mentioned that they were over 100 years old. The woman next to me on the safari vehicle said outloud, How does Disney do that? Apparently she didnt realize Disney transplanted many of the Animal Kingdoms plants from Africa to make the park look as authentic as possible. Love that Disney magic!
Then we headed off to Pangani Forest Exploration Trail to check out the gorillas. We saw several gorillas, including a baby in a tree. AK is our least favorite park so we dont usually stay a full day. Of course, we went in several shops and bought a few trinkets for friends at home. Im not a Pooh fan (sorry) but I absolutely had to have this mini-Pooh I saw. He was about 4 inches tall and sporting a safari hat and shirt. I just couldnt resist and bought a few for friends at home. The African cast members in the store were quite entertaining. They noticed our anniversary badges and they gave us a special signed Magical Moments certificate with our names on it. When paying for our purchases, my DH was paying with correct change ($3.75 or something). The cashier jokingly said, Were not accepting quarters right now. I was about dying with laughter because he actually fell for it. And Im supposed to be the gullible one! Soon we all laughed and finalized our purchase.
While waiting for our pictures, we had lunch at the Rainforest Café. I had the Chicken Quesadilla which was very good. DH had a BBQ beef wrap, which was also good except for the Cilantro. Neither of us cares for this herb.
When returning to the park to pick up our picture, we encountered the Vine Lady. What a strange, intriguing creature. She was completely covered in green ivy-type vines and walked on stilts. Her face was painted a bronze/green foliage color. She came slithering out of the woods and went over and clung motionless to the wall of a building for a few minutes. She gathered quite a crowd who had only a moment to snap her picture, and then she slowly turned and was escorted back into the foliage and vanished. So glad we came upon her, as I dont think she has a regular schedule of appearances so to speak.
Upon leaving the park to get the bus we discovered something we had never seen before . There is actually bus transportation to the other parks from Animal Kingdom. We were thrilled to see this because we now wanted to go to MGM. Its about time they offered this new feature because it can be very time-consuming trying to get direct bus service from park to park.
I wanted to go back to MGM to buy another Indiana Jones carabinier. I am not a hip person, but I felt so cool with my black IJ carabinier that I used to attach my refillable mug to my belt bag. LOL It actually says Indiana Jones and Lucas/Disney in small print on it. A friend at home is a huge Indiana Jones fan, so we just had to get one for him too. It was a hit, of course.
Upon entering MGM we noticed the billboard announcing the Star Wars Weekend which started today, Friday. We were under the impression that it started Saturday so were glad we visited today. We werent glad about the two-hour wait in line to get the Kenny Baker (R2 D2) autograph, as the sun was quite hot. Kenny Baker spent a lot of time autographing items for fans and even stayed beyond the allotted time. He was very gracious and appreciative of his fans, whereas last year Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) was a little brusque with his fans. Kenny Bakers wife was with him and they flew all the way from Manchester, England to enhance this special Disney event.
Couldnt leave without more shopping though. A friend at home wanted some towels from the Hollywood Tower Hotel shop. They are white with the HTH crest on them. Very thick and thirsty, high quality towels.
Next we were on a quest for the much-heralded milkshake at Beaches and Cream. We took the Friendship Cruise from MGM to Swan and Dolphin and then on to Beach and Yacht. It was quite a maze going through the beautiful pool area of B&Y to finally find B&C. We finally found it and were seated immediately. DH had the Sunshine Surprise (I think) which was like an orange creamsicle milkshake. I had a vanilla milkshake which was excellent too. The music and décor of the fifties was very enjoyable and a pleasant step back in time.
Because of the long wait for the autograph at MGM, we didnt get a chance to nap today. We were back at the hotel around 6:30 and decided to eat at the food court. I had minestrone soup and garlic sticks. The garlic sticks were excellent. Mild on the garlic which is how I like them. DH had the fried fish/shrimp platter. Back to the room for the night. Too pooped to go out again.
Day 5 Saturday, May 5
Up early and breakfast at the food court. I found the most delicious, sinful thing for breakfast. A chocolate covered croissant. Oh, how I wish I hadnt found these. Absolutely wonderful.
Today was our Epcot day. We had PS for lunch at the Rose & Crown. We started off with the Lamb Barley Soup which was delicious. DH had the pork loin special with fruit stuffing, mashed potatoes and vegetable medley. I had an appetizer as my main course. The Mushroom Medley. It was sauteed mushrooms in a gravy/broth over a piece of puff pastry and boy was it good. Too full for dessert.
Looked in some of the stores and bought some English soap in the Wales shop. When paying for it, another clerk came over and gave us a wooden (Wales) Love Spoon for our anniversary. What a nice surprise. Its a brown carved spoon with bells, hearts, and flowers carved around it. Now back to hotel for a nap.
Went to Magic Kingdom for supper. Ate at Columbia Harbour House. I had a wonderful salad with greens, pecans, pineapple, feta cheese, and chicken. Very tart and tasty. DH had a fish fry dinner with cole slaw. The place was mobbed and we had to sit in one of the smaller rooms with a crying baby nearby. Was very happy to get out of there.
After supper we headed over to Toontown to watch the fireworks. Had a pleasant conversation with a woman from Massachusetts while we waited for the fireworks. Its a good place to watch them because there are no crowds at all. We waited about an hour to let the crowds subside on Main Street before heading out. But what a shock when we got to the Port Orleans bus stop. Once again the bus line was backed up terribly. Ours was the only bus stop that had such a huge crowd. This new improved bus system has got to go.
Day 6 Sunday, May 6
Up early this morning to do something very special ..laundry! Ha ha! We decided to pack half the clothes and do laundry halfway through the trip. We didnt mind. After doing the laundry we had a snack at the hotel food court to hold us over until our late breakfast at Chef Mickeys.
Chef Mickeys was great. Its our favorite character meal. Several characters came over and we got lots of pictures. I wore my Chip and Dale tee shirt to impress Chip and Dale of course. I told Dale he was my favorite to see what would happen and he hugged me around the head and wouldnt let go. Of course DH took a picture. Lovely. One child nearby, about seven years old, was terrified of the characters. The little boy hid under their table and fought back tears. The only one he would let near him was Mickey, and even then he seemed unsure of the whole thing.
After breakfast we went on a few rides. Rode Cinderellas Carousel. I love it. Rode the Liberty Belle Riverboat. Started to get a headache so was glad to get off of it. Grabbed a Coke then rode on Pirates to rest and cool off and headache quickly went away. Back to room for a nap. I hate to sound so boring, but we just ran out of steam every day.
After our nap, we tried something new this trip. We took the boat from Port Orleans to the Marketplace. What a lovely, relaxing ride. The captain was very friendly and informative. Didnt find much at World of Disney that we didnt find elsewhere. By this time we were getting shopped out. On the bus back we saw a live armadillo on the grass on the side of the road. The only one we saw the entire trip.
Took bus to the Polynesian so we could have supper at Kona Café. I only ordered an appetizer as my main course. Had the Sticky Wings and they were delicious. Asian-style wings made with a sweet soy-sauce coating. Excellent. Our waitress said she makes them all the time at home. I think she said it was just soy sauce, lots of brown sugar and a little garlic. Simmer on top of stove until slightly thickened while chicken wings are baking in oven. Pour over wings and eat. DH had the roast chicken and smashed potatoes which he also enjoyed very much.
After our meal, our waitress brought us a complimentary dessert. Two Koko Puffs on a beautifully decorated white triangular plate. The chef swirled chocolate on a chilled plate and wrote happy 25th anniversary on it. They were sprinkled with tiny candy Mickey heads and had two chocolate sticks with small Mickey heads at the ends. Very pretty and very good too. As if that wasnt enough, we had the nerve to also order separate desserts. We each had the Tangerine Creme Brulee. It was sweet, fruity, and so delicious.
Continued in Part 3.
DH, just as a big a Disney fan as me!
May 1-10
Port Orleans Riverside
Day 4 Friday, May 4
Up early again and had a quick breakfast at the Port Orleans Food Court. I had a Lemon Poppyseed Muffin and DH had what else, Raisin Bran.
Today was Animal Kingdom Day. On our way into the park we let the photographer take our picture. He picked right up on our homemade 25th wedding anniversary badges and matching tee shirts. He seemed skilled and took the time to have had us pose three different ways. We ended up buying one of the photos. It was about $12.95 which seemed like a good deal to us and a nice memento of our trip.
Did the Kilimanjaro Safari which we really enjoy. We saw a Cheetah walking by in the distance, which we hadnt seen before on other trips. Unfortunately, nothing else extraordinary. When we came to the Baobob trees, our driver mentioned that they were over 100 years old. The woman next to me on the safari vehicle said outloud, How does Disney do that? Apparently she didnt realize Disney transplanted many of the Animal Kingdoms plants from Africa to make the park look as authentic as possible. Love that Disney magic!
Then we headed off to Pangani Forest Exploration Trail to check out the gorillas. We saw several gorillas, including a baby in a tree. AK is our least favorite park so we dont usually stay a full day. Of course, we went in several shops and bought a few trinkets for friends at home. Im not a Pooh fan (sorry) but I absolutely had to have this mini-Pooh I saw. He was about 4 inches tall and sporting a safari hat and shirt. I just couldnt resist and bought a few for friends at home. The African cast members in the store were quite entertaining. They noticed our anniversary badges and they gave us a special signed Magical Moments certificate with our names on it. When paying for our purchases, my DH was paying with correct change ($3.75 or something). The cashier jokingly said, Were not accepting quarters right now. I was about dying with laughter because he actually fell for it. And Im supposed to be the gullible one! Soon we all laughed and finalized our purchase.
While waiting for our pictures, we had lunch at the Rainforest Café. I had the Chicken Quesadilla which was very good. DH had a BBQ beef wrap, which was also good except for the Cilantro. Neither of us cares for this herb.
When returning to the park to pick up our picture, we encountered the Vine Lady. What a strange, intriguing creature. She was completely covered in green ivy-type vines and walked on stilts. Her face was painted a bronze/green foliage color. She came slithering out of the woods and went over and clung motionless to the wall of a building for a few minutes. She gathered quite a crowd who had only a moment to snap her picture, and then she slowly turned and was escorted back into the foliage and vanished. So glad we came upon her, as I dont think she has a regular schedule of appearances so to speak.
Upon leaving the park to get the bus we discovered something we had never seen before . There is actually bus transportation to the other parks from Animal Kingdom. We were thrilled to see this because we now wanted to go to MGM. Its about time they offered this new feature because it can be very time-consuming trying to get direct bus service from park to park.
I wanted to go back to MGM to buy another Indiana Jones carabinier. I am not a hip person, but I felt so cool with my black IJ carabinier that I used to attach my refillable mug to my belt bag. LOL It actually says Indiana Jones and Lucas/Disney in small print on it. A friend at home is a huge Indiana Jones fan, so we just had to get one for him too. It was a hit, of course.
Upon entering MGM we noticed the billboard announcing the Star Wars Weekend which started today, Friday. We were under the impression that it started Saturday so were glad we visited today. We werent glad about the two-hour wait in line to get the Kenny Baker (R2 D2) autograph, as the sun was quite hot. Kenny Baker spent a lot of time autographing items for fans and even stayed beyond the allotted time. He was very gracious and appreciative of his fans, whereas last year Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) was a little brusque with his fans. Kenny Bakers wife was with him and they flew all the way from Manchester, England to enhance this special Disney event.
Couldnt leave without more shopping though. A friend at home wanted some towels from the Hollywood Tower Hotel shop. They are white with the HTH crest on them. Very thick and thirsty, high quality towels.
Next we were on a quest for the much-heralded milkshake at Beaches and Cream. We took the Friendship Cruise from MGM to Swan and Dolphin and then on to Beach and Yacht. It was quite a maze going through the beautiful pool area of B&Y to finally find B&C. We finally found it and were seated immediately. DH had the Sunshine Surprise (I think) which was like an orange creamsicle milkshake. I had a vanilla milkshake which was excellent too. The music and décor of the fifties was very enjoyable and a pleasant step back in time.
Because of the long wait for the autograph at MGM, we didnt get a chance to nap today. We were back at the hotel around 6:30 and decided to eat at the food court. I had minestrone soup and garlic sticks. The garlic sticks were excellent. Mild on the garlic which is how I like them. DH had the fried fish/shrimp platter. Back to the room for the night. Too pooped to go out again.
Day 5 Saturday, May 5
Up early and breakfast at the food court. I found the most delicious, sinful thing for breakfast. A chocolate covered croissant. Oh, how I wish I hadnt found these. Absolutely wonderful.
Today was our Epcot day. We had PS for lunch at the Rose & Crown. We started off with the Lamb Barley Soup which was delicious. DH had the pork loin special with fruit stuffing, mashed potatoes and vegetable medley. I had an appetizer as my main course. The Mushroom Medley. It was sauteed mushrooms in a gravy/broth over a piece of puff pastry and boy was it good. Too full for dessert.
Looked in some of the stores and bought some English soap in the Wales shop. When paying for it, another clerk came over and gave us a wooden (Wales) Love Spoon for our anniversary. What a nice surprise. Its a brown carved spoon with bells, hearts, and flowers carved around it. Now back to hotel for a nap.
Went to Magic Kingdom for supper. Ate at Columbia Harbour House. I had a wonderful salad with greens, pecans, pineapple, feta cheese, and chicken. Very tart and tasty. DH had a fish fry dinner with cole slaw. The place was mobbed and we had to sit in one of the smaller rooms with a crying baby nearby. Was very happy to get out of there.
After supper we headed over to Toontown to watch the fireworks. Had a pleasant conversation with a woman from Massachusetts while we waited for the fireworks. Its a good place to watch them because there are no crowds at all. We waited about an hour to let the crowds subside on Main Street before heading out. But what a shock when we got to the Port Orleans bus stop. Once again the bus line was backed up terribly. Ours was the only bus stop that had such a huge crowd. This new improved bus system has got to go.
Day 6 Sunday, May 6
Up early this morning to do something very special ..laundry! Ha ha! We decided to pack half the clothes and do laundry halfway through the trip. We didnt mind. After doing the laundry we had a snack at the hotel food court to hold us over until our late breakfast at Chef Mickeys.
Chef Mickeys was great. Its our favorite character meal. Several characters came over and we got lots of pictures. I wore my Chip and Dale tee shirt to impress Chip and Dale of course. I told Dale he was my favorite to see what would happen and he hugged me around the head and wouldnt let go. Of course DH took a picture. Lovely. One child nearby, about seven years old, was terrified of the characters. The little boy hid under their table and fought back tears. The only one he would let near him was Mickey, and even then he seemed unsure of the whole thing.
After breakfast we went on a few rides. Rode Cinderellas Carousel. I love it. Rode the Liberty Belle Riverboat. Started to get a headache so was glad to get off of it. Grabbed a Coke then rode on Pirates to rest and cool off and headache quickly went away. Back to room for a nap. I hate to sound so boring, but we just ran out of steam every day.
After our nap, we tried something new this trip. We took the boat from Port Orleans to the Marketplace. What a lovely, relaxing ride. The captain was very friendly and informative. Didnt find much at World of Disney that we didnt find elsewhere. By this time we were getting shopped out. On the bus back we saw a live armadillo on the grass on the side of the road. The only one we saw the entire trip.
Took bus to the Polynesian so we could have supper at Kona Café. I only ordered an appetizer as my main course. Had the Sticky Wings and they were delicious. Asian-style wings made with a sweet soy-sauce coating. Excellent. Our waitress said she makes them all the time at home. I think she said it was just soy sauce, lots of brown sugar and a little garlic. Simmer on top of stove until slightly thickened while chicken wings are baking in oven. Pour over wings and eat. DH had the roast chicken and smashed potatoes which he also enjoyed very much.
After our meal, our waitress brought us a complimentary dessert. Two Koko Puffs on a beautifully decorated white triangular plate. The chef swirled chocolate on a chilled plate and wrote happy 25th anniversary on it. They were sprinkled with tiny candy Mickey heads and had two chocolate sticks with small Mickey heads at the ends. Very pretty and very good too. As if that wasnt enough, we had the nerve to also order separate desserts. We each had the Tangerine Creme Brulee. It was sweet, fruity, and so delicious.
Continued in Part 3.
I believe you ran into some special CMs who did their job plus some. 
